Slowly however certainly the Classified Powershift hub system appears to be gaining traction, with increasingly more wheels manufacturers partnering with the Belgian planetary gear hub firm which guarantees to kill the entrance derailleur.
Today, high-end USA-based model ENVE has introduced that not solely will its wheelsets – which the corporate is predominantly identified for – be accessible with the rear gear hub, but in addition its new bike fashions in a ‘rolling chassis’ choice.
The Powershift hub is basically a two-speed gearbox contained in the rear hub which works alongside conventional derailleur-and-cassette drivetrains. The first gear works in a 1:1 ratio, whereas the second reduces the ratio to 1:0.686. This is an identical ratio to the distinction between a 50t and 34t chainring, and mimics the motion of shifting into the ‘little ring’ however with out chain drop considerations and the promise of lowered weight and improved aerodynamics.
While the Powershift hub has had extraordinarily restricted use in competitors, confined primarily to Victor Campanaerts’ and his staggeringly massive chainrings, the system has proved fashionable with shoppers who wish to add additional vary to their 1x setups.
The Powershift hubshell will likely be accessible on all however the model’s MTB wheelsets, although you will have to buy the internals and shifter individually. (Image credit score: ENVE)
Another wheel model in a rising cohort
For now, at the very least, the Powershift hub is way more an aftermarket improve than a inventory product, so it is sensible to guide with the truth that the ENVE wheel vary can now be bought pre-laced to the hub. It’s accessible on all wheel sequence in addition to the MTB vary – the Foundation, G Series, and SES Series.
While ENVE is not essentially a ‘mainstream’ bike model as but, skirting the sting of boutique because it does, the very fact one can now buy a Classified geared up bike (properly, a rolling chassis except you undergo a seller) is extra noteworthy. Until now the one mainstream model transport Classified-equipped bikes was Ridley, so this marks a transparent transfer in direction of the system turning into a real 2x different for the buyer moderately than simply an aftermarket improve.
‘Rolling chassis’ choices for all of the model’s bikes now embody a Classified-equipped choice, although the inclusion or not of the internals is unclear. (Image credit score: ENVE)
Pricing and availability
Pricing is as follows for Powershift hubshell wheels, which do not ship with the precise shifting internals or wi-fi shifter:
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Foundation: €1.499 / $1,100
G Series: €2.699 / $2,150
SES Series: €2.999 / $2,450
Rolling chassis, for which the inclusion or not of the hub internals and shifter is unclear, for the Melee, MOG, and the brand new Fray can be found from €7.699 / $8,000, with full builds accessible by way of sellers beginning at €10,899.
